Running test scripts in multiple language platforms

Abstract

Testing is provided for software applications in each of a plurality of languages without a separate automation test script (TAS) for each language. A TAS runs on multiple language platforms without any change to the TAS. A method of running a test script in multiple language platforms comprises receiving a TAS for an application in a first language, retrieving language metadata used by the TAS, replacing the language metadata in the TAS with a language neutral identifier (LNI), retrieving data associated with a second language based on the LNI and providing the data associated with the second language to the TAS.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of running a test script in multiple language platforms, comprising:
 receiving an automation test script (TAS) for an application in a first language;   retrieving language metadata used by the TAS;   replacing the language metadata in the TAS with a language neutral identifier (LNI);   retrieving data associated with a second language based on the LNI; and   providing the data associated with the second language to the TAS.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the TAS for the first language and storing the TAS in a TAS library. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising running the TAS for the application in the first language, wherein retrieving the language metadata is performed in response to the TAS running for the application in the first language. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein replacing the language metadata in the TAS comprises writing the LNI to the TAS. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising running the TAS in the second language prior to retrieving the data associated with the second language based on the LNI. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein retrieving the data associated with the second language based on the LNI comprises retrieving language metadata for the TAS for the second language using the LNI. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising running the TAS for the application in the second language, using the data associated with the second language provided to the TAS. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein replacing the language metadata in the TAS with a LNI comprises replacing the language metadata in the TAS with a plurality of LNIs, and wherein retrieving the data associated with the second language based on the LNI comprises retrieving the data based on the plurality of LNIs. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein retrieving the language metadata used by the TAS is performed using a language resource provider plugin (LRPP), and retrieving the data associated with the second language based on the LNI is performed using the LRPP. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the LRPP, the LNI, and the TAS reside on a same server, and wherein the application resides on a client device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the language metadata used by the TAS comprises at least one language resource. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the TAS is a regression test script defining at least one regression test. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first language is English and the second language is a language other than English. 
     
     
         14 . A system of running a test script in multiple language platforms, comprising:
 a client device comprising an application to be tested with an automation test script (TAS);   a language resource provider plugin (LRPP) configurable to retrieve language metadata used by the TAS and replace the language metadata in the TAS with a language neutral identifier (LNI);   a test automation engine (TAE) configurable to run the TAS on the application in a first language and in a second language; and   a TAS library comprising the TAS.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a server in communication with the client device through a network, the server comprising the LRPP, the TAE, and the TAS library. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the TAS is generated for the first language, and wherein the LRPP is further configurable to retrieve data associated with the second language based on the LNI. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the LRPP is configured to retrieve the language metadata used by the TAS in response to the TAS running for the application in the first language. 
     
     
         18 . A method of running a test script in multiple language platforms, comprising:
 receiving a trigger to initiate a test on an application, in a first language, using an automation test script (TAS);   recording the access path to language specific data associated with the TAS;   formalizing the access path to a language neutral identifier (LNI); and   writing the LNI to the TAS.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 initiating the test on the application, in a second language, using the TAS;   intercepting a request to retrieve the language specific data using the LNI, for the TAS; and   returning a language resource for the second language to a test automation engine (TAE) for running the test using the TAS.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the intercepting and returning is performed by a language resource provider plugin (LRPP) that is configurable to retrieve language specific data used by the TAS and replace the language specific data in the TAS with the LNI.